Liquid-fuel apparatus



A. E... GMNT LIQUID FUEL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18. 1924 5 Shuts-Sheet l Jam 15, 1929. 1,699,467

,. V A. E, GRANT LIQUID FUEL APPARATUS Fil'ed Sept. 18, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnm Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ALBERT E. GRANT, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

GRANT INVENTIONS COMPANY, INC., 01 WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A COBPORA- TION' OF DELAWARE.

LIQUID-FUEL APPARATUS.

Application filed September 18, 1924. Serial No. 738,438.

My invention relates to apparatus for pre-, paring oil for combustion.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple and reliable apparatus for mixing oil and air toprovidc a fuel, and deliver said fuel in atomized condition to a furnace. ,7

The detailed construction of my apparatus is illustrated in the drawings forming. a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, shown partly in section, of the pumps and mixing chamber in which the oil, and air is mixed, and of the oil cistern or sump from which the oil is drawn.

Fig. 2 is an end view corresponding-to Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view of the pump for on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the piping arrangement and further detailed construction.

A, indicates a casing having a cistern or sump A therein. Mounted on the top of the casing A, is a pump B, of the positive pressure type, constructed similar in its principle of operation to the well known Root blower oil taken This ump comprises two rotors or impellers C, respectively, each mounted on a separate shaft D, D, respectively, which shafts are supported in bearings D, D',D,

and are automatically lubricated by a'portion of the oil being pumped, as will hereinafter be explained.

The shafts'D, D, are geared together as illustrated in Fig. 3 by gears E, E, enclosed in casing E and are so constructed as to serve as pumps Z, and Z, to control the oil How to and from the cistern A. The construction of these gear pumps will be easily understood by reference to Figures 1, 3, and 5, in which it is seen that the two co-acting gear wheels E, E, are mounted on the shafts D, D, the latter being driven by a motor F, to which one of said shafts is connected by a coupling F. The outer surfaces of the teeth E of gears E, are arranged to move in close proximity to the circular inner maintain a constant oil level n the sump.

walls B, B, of the casing E and are in close mesh at B, so that oil'is led into the sump thru the pipes M, G and M respectively, between the teeth'E, the oil from pump Z, flowing into the sum thru ipe G; and the excess oil being rawn rom the sump by pump Z, thru pipe G, is discharged thru pipe N, back to the supply reservoir L.

The present construction comprises three pumps including the pump B, in the mixing chamber, each pump com rising two members mounted on o posite y disposed shafts,

the gears of the oi pumps serving to drive the mixing pump B, in timed relation with the oil pumps, and the pump Z serving to The pump casing Z and 'Z of the pum s Z and Z respectively, may be bolted to t e main casing of the mixing chamber as illustrated and are separable therefrom so that the gears E, maybe inspected and be replaced without'difiiculty.

H, indicates an air inlet to the sump chamber which is controlled by a valve construction of any desired type, the most simple being such as is used in gas ranges .and known as a butterfly valve, which construction is well known to this. art. The casing B is provided with air intake passitges I, I, in open communication with sump and with the outlet end of an 'oil supply pipe J, which extends from near the bottom of the sump chamber to the inner. surface of the mixing chamber B, between said air passages I, I, and ad'acent thereto.

, An outlet pipe K, eads the fuel mixture from the mixing chamber B to a burner or furnace for use.

The main oil reservoir L, which maybe located above the level of the sump A, has a delivery pipe M, extending upwardly from near the bottom thereof and t ence to to the outlet at M to a standpipe M of slightly larger diameter than that of pipe M the inlet of pump Z, and therethru upwardly purposes. hereinafter flowing thru thev bearings to lubricate the same, into the oil sump chamber.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:.

The motor F, is started and pump Z draws oil from the? reservoir L, and forces it thru pipe 'G into the stand pipe at M whence it flows by gravity'downward thru pipe M into the sump chamber, the upper end of e point M being open to the atmosphere at M", and

the pipe M extending above t serving to prevent syphoning of oil or seepage thru the pump which might occur if the oulet fromthe mixing chamber of pump B,

wasv below the oil level in the reservoir L due to aivacuum having beenformed in suction j a readily understood.

. said mixing chamber; It is obvious however,. that the apparatus would operate if the 25 opening'at M was "closed, but the oil would not'flow downward in said pipe M by gravity alone, but would be directly forced.

downward into the. sump chamber.

A portion of the oil is drawn from the sump into the mixing chamber B together with a predetermined quantity of-air which .has been admitted to the sump chamber thru the valve controlled inlet H, and with a quantity of the foam from the surface of the oil which is generated by the agitation of the incoming oil from the pump Z and air, and is carried with the air into the mixing chamber, together with the oil which is drawn by the pump B, into the mixing chamber and spread laterally and mixed with the air and practically churned to provide a proper fuel mixture, the impellers C, C, serving to perform this function, and acting as a pump to force the fuel thru the pi K to a burner or other place for use. T e capacity of the oilpump Z. is 'equal to or exceeds that ofthe pump Z. The height of the oil in the-sump A is controlled by adjusting'the poi tion of the lower end of the The oil passing thru the pumps Z and Z is carried to the bearings D, D, D,

along the shaftsD,-D, and serves to lubricate said bearings, the surplus oil therefrom assing thru the adjacent chambers opening mto the pipes (Rand thru said pipes'into the sump, thus dispensin with packing ibrication is fapressure in the sump A during the operation of the pump B, which causes the Oil to be drawn thru the bearings,'as will be Where the reservoir is located below the level of the sump A, the oil maybe drawn therefrom and delivered directly into said sum by the pump Z, and returned thereto by tile pump Z, and the upper end of the stand pipe either closed, or removed altogether, and the oil pumped directly into the sump. The sump casing serves as a base for the pumps which are mounted on the top thereof, the lower part of the casing of the mixing chamber serving to close the top opening thru which the pipe J extends, and permitting the air passages I, to be lo-. cated directly above the oil level in the sump and exposed. thereto so that the frothy oil and air can be easily carried thru the passages'I, directly into the mixing chamber.

The amount of oil delivered to the mixing pump B, is dependent upon and controlled by the valve governing the inlet passage H which controls the amount of air admitted to the sump chamber.

The parts are so adjusted that if the air valve is wide open, no oil will be drawn by the pump B into the mixing chamber, because the de ression in the said mixing chamber will e insuflicient to raise the fuel, but by limiting the air supply, the oil will be drawn into the pumpwith the required amount of air to provide the desired fuel mixture, and this mixture is made complete by the Root type of pump or blower employed for this purpose, since it has been demonstrated that the impellers in their rosump chamber and mixing chamber and such pressures depend on the amount of air admitted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new:

1. A liquid fuel apparatus comprising a closed sump chamber, adjustable means for controlling the admission of air to said chamber, 'a pump having a mixing chamber located above said sump chamber and having independent passages for air and oil leading i from said sump chamber thereto, said adjustablemans serving to also control the pressure effective on the fuel level in said sum chamber, and a pump for maintaining the uel in said sump chamber at predetermined level.

2. A liquid fuel apparatus comprising a sump chamber having air inlet means thereto, means for delivering fuel to said chamber, a pump of the Root blower type located 1' i above said chamber and having independent passages for air and oil leading from said sump chamber thereto, adjustable means for controlling the volume of air flowing through said air inlet means, and a ump for returning a portion of the fuel from said sump chamber to a source of supply and serving to maintain the fuel at a predetermined height in said chamber, said adjustable means serving to also control the pressure effective on the fuel level in said sump chamber.

3. A liquid fuel apparatus comprising a her to a source of supply and means for operating said pump in synchronous relation to thus maintain a constant level of the fuel in said sump chamber, said valve serving to also control the pressure efi'ective on the fuel level in said sump chamber.

4. A liquid fuel apparatus comprising a sump chamber, a valve for controlling the admission of air thereto, means for deliverin fuel to said chamber, a pump having a mixing chamber located above the sump chamber and having independent passages for fuel and air leading from said sump chamber thereto with their outlets located adjacent to each other within said mixin chamber, means for returning a portion 0 said fuel from the sump chamber to a source of supply, and means for operating said pumps in synchronous relation to thus maintain a constant levelof the fuel in said sum chamber, said valve serving to also centre the pressure effective on the fuel level in said sump chamber.

5. A liquid fuel apparatus comprisin a sump chamber, a pump for delivering uel to said chamber, a pump for mixing and delivering atomized fuel to an outlet, said pumps being located above said chamber,

and having separate inlet passages for air and oil, the outlets of which are located ad jacent to each'other in said mixing chamber, I

said chamber in open communication theresaid, pump comprising a pairof impellers of the Root "blower type, said mixing chum her having an outlet of restricted area, a

second pump in communication with the sump chamber for returnin the -excess fuel to a source of supply, all of ing driven in synchronism, and means for adjustably controlling'the admission of ,air

to said sump chamber-whereby the pressure I effective in said sump chamber is controlled.

6. Aliquid fuel apparatus comprising a closed sump chamber, a valve for controlling the admission of air into said chamberand serving to also control the pressure effective ump for returning a turn pump 0 effective on the said "pumps be v:tor said pump lncluding a plurality of gearing means, said gearing means also serving as two pumps, one adapted to deliver fuel into saic sump chamber and the other to return fuel from said sump chamber whereby a constant level of fuel is maintained in said sump chamber.

7. A liquid fuel apparatus'comprising'a v closed sump chamber, a feed pump having 1 a in open communication therewith, a fuel delivering pump and a return delivery pump, each having conduits in communication with the sump chamber, said feed pump being adapted to mix the air and fuel therein to "mpellers located "above the sump chamber provide an atomized mixture, said feed pump, having an outlet of restricted area relative to the inlet areas thereto, said reatin'g to maintain a predetermined leve of fuel in said sump chamber,

all of said pumpsbeing driven in synchroning impellers adapted to mix air and fuel therein to provide an atomized mixture, and

having an outlet ofreduced area relative to the inlet area thereto,a sup ply pump and I a return pump communicating with said sump chamber'and with the source'of supply, a main shaft common to all of said pumps, said supply and return pumps being substantially of the same capacity, and said valve serving to also control the' ressure. fuel level. in sai sump' chamber. I

9. A-liquid fuel apparatus comprising a i sump chamber, a valve for admittin air to i said chamber, a feed. pump'loca above I I with, a supply pump and a return-pump,

"communicating Withsaid. chamber and a' source of vfuelsup'ply, a main'shaft common a to all of said pumps; bearingsior said shaft located adjacent togsaidi supply and return "unips, the arrangementbeing such that the I, armgs are lubricated byoil supplied to said pumps, means for] returning oil ,fromfithe bearingstosaid sump chamber,

said chamber, said valve serving to also control the pressure effective on the fuel level in said sump chamber. 10

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALBERT E. GRANT. 

